


Otherworld

by Christian_at_No



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Death, Drama, Emotional, Emotions, Everyone Has Issues, Fae & Fairies, Fantasy, Graphic Violence, Implied Grimmjow/Orihime If You Squint, Implied/Referenced Imprisonment, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Torture, Imprisonment, M/M, Magic, Military Inaccuracies, Military themes, Minor Character Death, Morality, Mortality, OOC, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Characters, Protective Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Protective Nelliel, Pseudo military, Regret, Royalty, Shits about to go down, Slow Burn, Soldiers, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Stubborn Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Torture, Trauma, Violence, did i mention that im writing a prologue?, everyone is a mess, grimmjow is really op in this, literal inner demons, royal guard, some plot holes are present, they shall be addressed in the prologue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2020-12-14 02:49:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 17,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21008477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Christian_at_No/pseuds/Christian_at_No
Summary: "What I expect is unimportant. What matters is that you should be conducting yourself in a manner that at least makes it seem as though you don't want to be dragged back to the Academy," he managed with a sigh. "You and I both know that that is not the life for you…"He could feel the pitch begin to creep it's way across his sclera at the involuntary memory; chains, whips, cages, and tests as a name fell from his lips… And all he had wanted at the time was to return home, back when these ruins still held warmth…To return to his heart."Is that a threat…?"His voice was so quiet that it was almost a whisper."If it has to be."I have an announcement: It pains me to say that this fic is on a temporary hiatus. I got a new job with a very inconsistent schedule a couple weeks ago and I haven't had the time to do much writing. On top of that, my father is having heart problems and I've been scared out of my mind for days. I hope you all can understand, and I apologize deeply for the delay.





	1. In The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, guys! I'm back with another GrimmIchi fic, one that I actually plan on finishing. This is actually a revamp of a fic I wrote a few years ago (I reread it the other day and realized just how much it sucked...) and I decided to revisit it. Since the plot has been entirely planned out and the chapters are all pre-drafted, this story should actually be a piece of cake. Erm....knock on wood...
> 
> Anyway, as always, I hope y'all enjoy. Don't forget to leave a comment and a kudos for me; I really love hearing from you guys, and it keeps me motivated!  
-Chris

In this world, there were three peoples: fae folk, humans, and the ones who walked the line between man and magic, highbornes.

Fae were known as nobility. High ranking officials and well-off merchants, or members of the royal family. They were the lords of the land, each with a patch of humanity held in their hands, quivering with uncertainty. They were the top of the hierarchy, the ones to have the last word⸺or the last laugh, depending; rich and entitled, many would think but dare not say for fear of their lives. They could live for hundreds of years, ruling over generation after generation of humanity with an iron fist; with few exceptions, it seemed.

Humans were the less fortunate in most cases. Peasants, farmers and goat herds, shopkeepers and vagabonds. The bottom of the barrel to many a cruel fae. They were held at the mercy of their lords, subject to unfair laws and taxes.

Rebellion eventually became more than just a thought.

Uprisings across the continent led to the deaths of countless fea and humans alike, and chaos ensued.

Given time, the lines between the fae and the humans blurred and new guidelines were established. Humans were given land and representation, restrictions were put on fae, and universal laws were put into place to prevent any further struggle. Humanity and those of magical birth began to live side by side, and with these newly found freedoms afforded to the people, highbornes came into being.

These beings were children born from fae-human relations, with the inability to have children of their own. They were able to live for well over a century, barely aging as they did so. Stronger than any mortal man, weaker than most fae, with the ability to use a unique gift: resurrección. Each resurrección differed from one individual to the next, making them extremely unpredictable.

It was with the introduction of the highbornes that the peace was disrupted. This new development caused a ripple that created a new tide, a catalyst for the doom of the fae.

Hollows.

Fae that were overcome by severe emotion, with no way to handle it, would fall victim to a corrupt state known as hollowfication. They would become but a shadow of themselves, a shell, ruled by a manic desire to maim and kill and feed on those they had loved throughout their lives until one day, they would fall into nothingness and perish.

...Utter _ self destruction. _

Humans began ambushing fae, slaughtering innocent creatures out of fear, burning them alive in their own homes. It wasn’t often that these injustices were avenged.

The royal family of the eastern cliffs, the farthest region of the continent, untouched by human hand, made the decision to enlist the help of highbornes to defend the fae from the overwhelming violence.

It was very much akin to a double-edged sword, in a way.

While the fae reached out seeking an iron defense, the humans saw opportunity. It was agreed that the highbornes would be used as shields for the fae to hide behind, but should a fae exhibit the tell-tale signs of falling to hollowfication, the highborne in charge of that same fae’s safety would be held accountable for dispatching it.

There was an unsteady truce as a troubled peace ensued. As time wore on, things fell back into normalcy and the continent was once again continuing along a steady river’s flow.

It was amidst this peace that the queen died some years later. The entire royal family was overcome with grief, immense grief. Within a few days time, they all fell to the emptiness. The eldest son was the only one to survive the slaughter, and while he was safe from death, he wasn’t so fortunate as to be immune to the strange domino effect that befell his family.

However, the prince’s cousin had been staying with them at the time, and while she showed signs of turning after being exposed to the bloody ordeal, she reverted back to herself before the order could be given for her execution.

This raised doubt in everyone, and the power of one’s will was pushed into the light. If one fae could revert, who’s to say that they all didn’t have that ability?

Several decades passed and the prince remained unseen. His highborne guard however, the one responsible for his escape in the first place, remained hopeful that his lord was alive and fighting. In the wake of the royal family’s demise, the guard devoted his time to save his lord from death should they ever cross paths again.

And given his resurrección...

** _He was the only one who could._ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! As promised, here is chapter two. Hopefully it will be worth the wait. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Chris

There was a scream that threatened to escape from the man’s throat, and it would have, had the monster not caught him by the collar mid fall to the cobblestone below and thrown him into the fierce brick of the old council house. The breath left him as a splitting crack echoed in his skull and his vision went white.

The clawed hand that had grabbed him, the same hand that had snatched him from the ground on his patrol in the first place only to nearly drop him to his certain death, was secured around his neck with an iron grip, nearly crushing it with the force. Heavy flaps from leathery wings could be heard as the devil hovered, suspending the two of them no less than twenty feet in the air.

He gurgled out an incomprehensible threat as he looked the beast in the eyes.

One eye was a piercing yellow that burned into his soul, surrounded by a sclera that was blacker than the darkest pits of hell and looked just as cold; the other was a warm brown, though looking void of any emotion, and the stark contrast confused him to no end. Every hollow he had ever met had eyes of pitch and gold, never brown. Moreover, a hollow should never be this strong. They were lesser to their fae counterparts and that fact made him marvel at the initial strength of this creature before they had fallen to the hollowfication.

There were red markings under the creature’s eye and above its brow on the left side of its face, in and of itself not unusual for a hollowfied fae, but the sheer surface area covered by the sweeping lines threw him.

Its hair, though, struck him as startlingly familiar⸺bright orange in hue and nothing if not messy beyond repair.

“ _ Hello, scum _ ,” it hissed, voice distorted, echoing and watery in the night air. “ _ I’ve a message for your captain. _ ”

His eyes narrowed and he put all of his effort into spitting in the monster’s face.

Eyes growing darker, it sneered at him, raising its right hand to his face, and he passively noticed that the nails of this hand were comparatively blunt, for which he was slightly relieved until the thing gripped his ear harshly and nestled its thumb into the corner of his eye.

“ _ How rude. You may be below me, but I take it that you were taught manners? _ ”

Pressure was put behind the threatening digit and he could feel his eye begin to bulge out of the socket. Panic settled in and he began to struggle.

“ _ Still yourself, lest I drop you again, _ ” it warned in a sickly sweet tone. “ _ And I would hate to look for another messenger. Too much effort on my part to be bothered with. _ ”

A harder push to his eye and he whimpered.

“ _ Tell that blue haired captain of yours that I won’t be satisfied until I have him... _ ” The monster's brown eye looked almost pained, but its yellow companion remained cold as the thing’s mouth curled into a sickening smile.

“ _ Tell him that I’m still hungry... _ ”

There was a wet  _ pop _ as his eye gave way and blood and fluid spattered onto the devil’s face as he was finally able to scream out his agony. His remaining eye rolled back as the world faded away, and then he was falling to the ground as the beast’s final words reached him:

_ “Tell him we miss him...” _

.

Wicked grin still in place, the hollow brought his ruined thumb to his stolen lips and sucked the unconscious highborne’s fluids from his skin, his tongue rolling over his rings as he pointedly ignored the screaming in his head.

That same pink flesh poked out to swipe the blood that had managed to make it to the corner of his mouth with a contemplative hum. Those helpless cries became sobs of anger and anguish and he let out a sigh as he landed by the highborne’s body, his boots thumping gently on the cobblestone pathway as his wings melted away, carried like black sand on the breeze as he glowered.

“ ** _I think it’s time for you to sleep again, King._ ** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave me some kudos and comments! I love hearing from you guys, and your wonderful feedback is what drives me to keep at these fics. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read this.
> 
> Chris


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the delay. We're back on the normal schedule for this fic, so expect the fourth installment next Saturday.  
-Chris

The lieutenant ran to the study as fast as her legs could carry her, throwing open the door with gusto. “Captain! It’s Nnoitra, Sir!”

The blue eyes of the captain looked up from his research, the emotion swirling there enough to knock any normal man from his feet. It was exhaustion, determination, loneliness...but above all, it was anger. A cold anger that simmered in his heart for many years.

He grit his teeth. “What did that oaf do now?”

“By the looks of it, he ran into a hollow on his patrol,” she informed hesitantly, hand still secured over the door latch. Her gray eyes were hard as steel in that moment. “We haven’t been able to confirm. He’s unconscious.”

“ _ Shit _ ,” he ground out, standing so fast that his chair crashed to the ground with a heavy sound that rattled the panes of the stained glass windows of the old castle.

He whisked his way out of the room, cloak billowing behind him as he moved, and his lieutenant barely had enough time to get out of his way.

“Fill me in,” he demanded. “Quickly.”

“We found him in the old square. He has some severe injuries, and some minor ones, but I’m worried about... ” His lieutenant set her jaw in determination, then spoke, “I’m worried about his eye. It’s a bloody mess and I don’t think that the medic will be able to heal him.”

The captain growled, low and aggressive. “I want everyone on patrol, and no going solo. I want everyone in pairs, at the very least, with potent warding spells on hand. No exceptions, Nelliel. Make sure of it.”

“ _ Why? _ ” she hissed, eyes narrowing dangerously at her superior. “You’re going to put more of us at risk?”

He glared at her from the corner of his eye as they paused in their stride. “Woman, you know as well as I that we have been charged with the protection of the people since the fall of the royal family. If there is a hollow out there able to render Nnoitra half blind and unconscious on the medic’s table, those people don’t stand a chance.”

“But-”

“Enough.” He held out his hand to silence her. “Go.”

She saluted and spun on her heel to the main common area, looking determined and furious in equal parts. The captain marched on to the medic’s quarters to assess the damage without her, jaw set and fists clenched. Anger stirred in his gut and slowly began to permeate the air around him. Something was out there hurting his men now, and that just wouldn’t do.

“Talk to me,” he urged as he threw open the door to the medic’s quarters, a woman with orange hair jumping at the sudden intrusion and pausing in her motion to wipe the beads of stress sweat from her patient’s brow.

“C-captain!” she exclaimed. Then, as an afterthought, “...Sir.”

Her gaze fell downward in a respectful manner, deep chocolate brown eyes now trained on the floor in an attempt to be respectful and apologetic, but the sight made his stomach turn over.

She reminded him so much of the love he’d lost… And yet she was so different.

“Forget it, My Lady,” he muttered with a dismissive wave. “How is he?”

His voice was quieter, but no less gruff, and it made the woman flush. She rested her hand upon the restless man's forehead, wincing at the state of his eye⸺or lack thereof.

“Not good...” she whispered, biting her lip as she pulled her hand away. “I was able to use a simple healing spell in order to heal his broken bones, his neck. It was crushed,” she clarified upon seeing the captain’s confused look. “But his eye is gone. I would need something stronger than what I am allowed in order to reverse that, but the laws...”

She swallowed and pulled away from the man completely.

“I’m sorry. All I can do now is try to ease his pain.”

The mark,  _ the seal _ , over her heart pulsated and made her chest ache. She felt lightheaded and it seemed as though her vision was darkening along the edges.

Ah… It seems as though she’s already exceeded her energy for the day.

“But for now, I must rest,” she whispered, her head falling into her hands. “I’m afraid that I won’t be of much more use today.”

The captain looked startled, his eye twitching minutely as she tried to rise to her feet. He offered his hand and she took it in her weak grasp, breathing out a laugh.

“Lady Inoue?”

“I’m fine.” She stood straight and proud at his side and smiled as best she could. “Thank you.”

He frowned. “Got nothing to thank me for,” he grumbled.

She shook her head at what she decided was absolute nonsense. “On the contrary, I have you to thank for everything.”

The clinic’s heavy wooden door opened and the duo looked up to meet the eyes of their comrade as she strolled into the room, two uneasy looking soldiers following close behind with their hoods and masks in place.

“Nelliel,” Inoue managed with a smile, but it fell soon after. “I’m  _ so  _ sorry-”

“We all do what we can,” the lieutenant ground out, a stoic anger simmering beneath her calm countenance. “Pensche, Dondochakka.”

Her subordinates stiffened.

“Please escort Lady Inoue to her chamber to rest. I wish to have a word with Captain Jaegerjaques,” she declared, jaw set.

Her men saluted before turning their attentions on Inoue and whisking her away with polite bows and words of worry. He watched them leave, doing nothing when the door closed with a sort of echoing finality.

“You wanted a word?” he muttered.

“I want my brother right now, not my captain,” she whispered, voice quivering as her wet gaze fell upon her lover.

He sighed and raised an arm in invitation, holding her tight when she fell into his side.

He said nothing when he felt his collar begin to dampen.

.

Inoe laughed at the antics of her current companions as the duo led her to her rooms in the oldest part of the royal castle ruins they had all come to call home, though the memories that haunted most of her sleepless nights made her wish that she had somewhere else to go.

The moonless night, the screams of servants in the suffocating darkness… Her uncle over her, poised to strike until—

Until he wasn’t, and a man was standing where the king once was; a man with blue hair and eyes the color of a cloudless sky, sclera black as pitch. And like the sky on a clear day, those eyes, too, were empty as they struck down her hollowfied uncle from behind.

He was covered in blood, and his chest was split open from shoulder to hip. At first, he didn’t seem to notice her, but his eyes raised from the dead hollow to meet her panicked gaze. For a moment, all time stood still, and she finally placed him; she recognized him, and that made it all the more terrifying.

The captain had then held his sword to her throat, and she remembers marveling at the craftsmanship of the pommel in what she thought were her final moments. She’d said something stupid along the lines of  _ what a pretty jaguar _ , and he’d laughed at her.

But he had also saved her that day, and that’s what mattered in the end.

** _Even if the voice in her head was still there._ **


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! Here's the next installment of Otherworld. Hope you enjoy.  
-Chris

Nnoitra didn’t open his eye for two days. When he did, there was chaos.

Nelliel wept endlessly and Inoue was busy for hours trying to keep the man in bed. He was in a pain filled haze as his body tried to catch up with the magic that had healed him, and he didn’t settle down until late evening. When he was able to speak, he first asked for his wife, and then his captain.

“Nnoi!”

He turned to see his wife rush into the room, the black haired captain following close behind with an unhurried gait. The captain gave them a moment before approaching the bedside, Lady Inoue taking the opportunity to excuse herself. When the door closed behind her, the captain spoke, his deep voice demanding attention.

“I’m happy you survived.”

“Me too,” he managed to croak.

Jaegerjaques frowned and sat at the foot of the bed, watching the way his 1st and 2nd lieutenants held hands, their knuckles going white with the force.

“What happened out there, Gilga?”

“I ran into a hollow.” At his captain’s dissatisfied look, he added, “A tough lil’ bastard. Strong as hell, too.”

“...Gilga.”

Nelliel gave her brother a look for hounding her husband after his ordeal, but the 2nd lieutenant's rough voice broke out in a fit of haggard laughter.

“Reportin’, Ma’am.”

The captain groaned, and was promptly ignored as Gilga continued.

“I was on my usual patrol when I was lifted into the air by… an unknown assailant an’ dropped from damn near fitty feet up. I was caught mid flight by my assailant, a hollow with wings and a massive red mark on its face. Weird eyes, too. Looked kinda-”

“ _ Gilga. _ ”

“Right, yeah… The hollow grabbed me by the throat and squeezed. We were ‘bout twenny feet up. Fucker popped my eye out and dropped me. I passed out from the pain, I guess. Dun really remember much after that,” Nnoitra informed.

“The hollow didn’t say anything?” Nelliel asked. “They’re usually pretty mouthy.”

“Fucker was crazy.”

The man looked at Jaegerjaques with a seriousness that was rarely seen in him, his mouth pulling into a troubled frown.

“Gave me a message for ya’,” he voiced quietly. ”And that’s the bit that worries me. ‘Specially since the thing used your hair as a descriptor.”

Jaegerjaques stilled for a moment before motioning for his subordinate to continue with a surprisingly steady hand.

“Told me to tell my ‘blue haired cap’in’ that it was unsatisfied.”

Nnoitra’s eye was piercing, like it was staring into the captain’s soul.

“It said that it was still hungry,” the 2nd lieutenant paused before daring to continue. “It said that it  _ missed _ you, Grimmjow.”

“ _ It missed me…? _ ” he reiterated, a sneer creeping across his face.

Gilga closed his eye, an absent smile gracing his weary face. “Well, the term it used was ‘we’, but I didn’ think ‘bout it too much at the time.”

Grimmjow was completely still, his face carefully blank, and his voice eerily calm when he spoke, “...And how would you describe this creature?”

There was silence for a few moments before Gilga decided to speak again., “Red marks on its face. Massive, for a hollow. Crazy lookin’ eyes, too… Like I was seein’ two diff’rent things, y’know?”

The 2nd lieutenant sighed, his wife stroking his arm reassuringly. His captain wasn’t quite as warm, his sharp blue eyes like ice at the turn of winter.

Deadly.

“One of ‘em looked like it should, ya? Black ‘n gold. The other was…  _ Human _ . Brown. And it looked like it could feel.”

The captain had gone from stoically still, to a little unsteady on his feet, like someone had shaken the world around him and he was trying to regain balance.

His voice was still steady, though. “Peculiar,” he muttered.

“Had this outta wack orange hair, too,” Gilga added with a nod to himself, sounding almost pleased with his memory as he motioned about his own head to emphasize the point.

That startled something in the captain, and without another word, or even an acknowledgement of his company, he billowed out of the room like a torrential wind, the heavy door slamming behind him.

Nell’s voice was quiet, but it seemed monumentally loud in the sudden silence the captain left in his wake, “Do you think it could be him?”

“Well, it did look a lot like the portraits.” Nnoitra breathed out a shaky sigh, feeling the most exhausted he’d ever been since that first week of training over a decade ago… “But, for J’s sake, I hope not”

.

Blue eyes flashed wildly, glowing in the dark of the castle. The torches on the wall dimmed and faded away as he marched by, the fire’s life leaving them in a billowing wisps of smoke. The moon hung heavy outside, shining through stained glass windows as he hissed, clenching his forehead. A splitting headache racked his skull, the pounding of blood in his ears doing nothing but annoy him as he prowled through the hall to his office.

The heavy door swung open and slammed shut, rattling the cabinet that was against the wall. He knew what was in it. He’d never opened it, several decades after that blood red moon had plagued the sky, and he still remembered.

The crisp lines.

The bright colors.

The smile.

The  _ stain. _

He tore open the cabinet with a growl of contempt, his wild hair falling into his face. He was met with a canvas cover that he ripped from the nails securing it, revealing the kind face hidden beneath and the dry blak splatter that marred it. He ignored the way his scar ached, the way his heart throbbed when he looked at it.

He couldn’t breathe.

His hand, still on the door, loosened and fell to his side, his knees giving as he sank to the floor. He slouched, his head in his hands as he tried to steady himself.

Then, his eyes lifted, still burning fiercely as they were slowly surrounded by shadows.

“You better still be fighting, bastard.”

The portrait remained silent.

** _“Or I’ll never forgive you.”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave some love for the author if you liked the fic! Have a good one.  
-Chris


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! It's Saturday again, which means another chapter of Otherworld for you guys. I hope this one was worth the wait! Enjoy. 
> 
> \- Chris

Tier meandered through the halls of the old castle, looking for her charge with those sharp eyes of hers, her boots clicking against the wooden floors. The fae had not been in her rooms, nor at her post in the clinic, and it almost worried the blonde captain.

“My Lady?” she called, hesitantly making her way into the library.

No one entered the library, and for good reason. The air there was heavy with the past. It made Tier nearly faint the first time she had to go in in order to retrieve research materials for the scientist that made his home in the cellar of the castle. She later discovered that this was an intense hazing to “welcome” her to the team.

She had not been thrilled.

Granted, she was more adjusted by now, and she was able to stand tall as she entered the cavernous room, even with the strong magic that was kept here. How Captain Jaegarjaques was able to come and go from this space as he pleased, she would never know.

But then, she didn’t know much about him at all, and everyone who served under and worked beside him were very tight lipped.

“My Lady!” she called out again, wandering further into the room, eyeing the towering shelves with care.

“I’m here, Captain Harribel,” a timid voice called, soothing in the intimidating space.

The captain sighed in relief as she approached the voice.

“What brings you here, My Lady?” the highborne asked the slight fae.

The blonde captain noted with some concern that her temporary charge looked pale, thinner than usual, even. Dark circles were heavy under her eyes as she rested her head in her palm, eyes closed.

“You look unwell.”

Harribel’s voice was stern as she straightened, hand affixed to the hilt of her sword. Lady Inoue didn’t even flinch.

“I’m just tired,” she assured, knowing the exact thought that crossed her guard’s mind.

_ What if? _

It had been almost a full moon cycle since Nniotra’s encounter with the “unknown hollow”, and more squad members had been showing up to the clinic in scores, effectively exhausting her. Their descriptions, always consistent and whispered in a tone that spoke of haunted dreams to come, told of a lithe male with orange hair and wings, the most recent reports including horns and a tale. She knew who he was and, judging by Captain Jaegerjaques overly aggressive demeanor, so did he. The thought killed her inside, and she could feel the ever-growing presence within her fighting to become stronger in the face of her weakness.

“I would come here often with my cousin to practice magic and read the ancient tales of our people,” she whispered, tilting her head back to look up at the gargantuan shelves in the high-ceilinged room. “I miss him.”

The captain was, admittedly, lost. “Is he away?”

Inoue looked saddened by the question, but a small smile still curled her lips.

“Far, far away, yes.” Her gaze returned downward as she added, “And he will likely never come back.”

Harriabel was young, though she liked to act much older than she was. Inoue knew this all too well; she was also a child by her people’s standards, but Harriabel was barely thirty, a blink of a fae’s eye. She wasn’t even born yet, back when the red moon haunted the night sky, and it was a night many a living soul had decided was better left forgotten.

“Would you like to hear a story?” the fae asked, tilting her head as she did so, peering at the captain curiously.

The woman didn’t speak, deciding instead to take the empty seat nearest the fae at the long table that ran across the aisle in a show of confirmation. The fae laughed in breathy amusement, the action looking like it drained her further.

“Very well.”

_ There was once a kingdom whose history was plagued with strife, it’s people suffering from a racial divide. Eventually, they found peace through the birth of a new generation, and a bargain was struck. Should demons emerge from those of magical blood, they would be struck down by the same people who would come to protect them, those born of the new generation. _

_ There were two boys who were born during this time, one of magical blood, the other of mixed race. A prince and his guard. They grew to become friends and, many thought, something more. _

_ They would come to know that not all good things can last. _

_ It was some years later that a cursed image took to the sky: a bloodied moon, full and bright. It drove the royal family into darkness and, in an unprecedented number, demons took to the sky, called forth by the moon. Hundreds died that night, and the entirety of the royal family fell, all but one. _

_ The prince had been with his guard at the time. It happened so suddenly, the half-blood didn’t have the chance to react and— _

Orihime was cut off by a gruff voice that the two of them knew all too well, “And the poor bastard was nearly cut in half by a man he trusted with his life.”

Harriabel jumped at the sudden intrusion, turning to watch the blue eyed captain emerge from the shadows. His eyes were sorrowful, his stance steady and pace sure. He ran a hand through his black hair before he let it rest at the junction of his neck and shoulder, rubbing gently at a knot there.

The princess sighed, “There’s more to it than that, and you know it.”

He laughed dryly. “Ah, yes. When he recovered from the shock, he murdered the king—”

“—And saved my life,” Lady Inoue snapped, hands clenching where they were folded together on the tabletop. “Never forget that, Captain. You did what you had to do.”

The blonde captain shifted uncomfortably, properly feeling like an intruder.

Captain Jaegerjaques shifted his gaze to look at her with dead eyes. “Captain Harribel,” he greeted, voice cold.

Harribel had been stationed at the castle for less than a month, sent as backup when news of an overpowered hollow reached the ears of the highbornes at the Academy’s main compound. She was the top of her class, and was sent with her own small squad to alleviate some of the stress from the hunt.

Her presence seemed to have the opposite effect.

“Captain Jaegerjaques, Sir,” she offered, standing for a salute.

“What do you need, Grimmjow?” Lady Inoue whispered, weak and tired enough to forget her customary formalities.

“Your ear, and your company,” he replied, looking back to her, gaze softening once again with what Tier realized was more than sorrow.

Longing? The thought made her flush.

She cleared her throat. “I believe that Lady Inoue is more than safe in your charge, Sir. I shall take my leave.”

The duo watched the captain leave them to make her way through the maze of shelves and, once she was out of sight, Jaegerjaques slumped into the vacated chair. Orihime took him in, noting that he looked more tired than he had ever been. He leaned forward, planting his elbows on the table and releasing a shaky breath as he took his face in his hands. She reached out to him, hand barely brushing his arm.

“Let it go, Grimm,” she whispered.

His breathing became more haggard, irregular.

** _Then, he wept._ **


	6. Chapter 6

_ It was the screaming that alerted everyone of the bloodshed to come. He snapped his gaze toward the end of the hall to look on in confusion as a servant girl, a human, ran as fast as she could from the prince’s study. Before he could open his mouth to stop her, to ask what was wrong, he heard the choking. Unthinking, he allowed his feet to carry him to his lord, stopping at the door when he saw it. _

_ Blood. _

_ The red light emanating from the moon shining in from the open window outlined the silhouette of an orange haired man that was hunched over a young woman’s corpse, her dirty blonde hair tinged with the red seeping in between the worn wooden floors of the study. His teeth were deeply embedded into her throat as he growled, seemingly possessed. Her hand twitched, her brown eyes wide and surrounded by an inky darkness that warned of what she could have become had her death not been dealt so swiftly. _

_ “Sire!” _

_ But it was too late. The man released her, slowly drawing away from her supple flesh with a gasp of air. He leaned back on his knees, facing the window so that the other could not see the blood that ran down his chin. _

_ Then he turned. _

_ Red lines swept across his forehead, his mocha hued eyes, once warm and inviting, were now cold, and the man at the door could see the pitch crawl across his sclera. _

_ A blood stained smile spread across his lips, splitting his face as a warped mockery of the prince’s voice came forth from that stolen mouth, “ _ Hello, my love... _ ” _

_ There was a blinding pain after that, purple spewing from his chest as a wound opened up from his shoulder to his hip before he could dare to blink in hopes of waking from this new nightmare. The prince— _ the hollow _ —let out a watery screech, bloodied claws coming to rest over his mouth as the black faded away from his eyes, sorrow and fear taking over. _

_ “Grimm… Oh, gods…!” The curse was barely a whisper as the hollow staggered, dropping to its knees before the prince’s guard again as the man slumped against the door. _

_ “Shit...” the blue haired man managed, eyes screwed shut against the pain. _

_ “I’m so sor— _ Hnnnnggh! _ ” _

_ Grimm opened his blue eyes to watch as the hollow gripped his head, animalistic cries forming in its throat as wings, huge and black and leathery, emerged from its back. The cries grew louder as the hollow retreated to the window, the sill low enough for it to fall backwards through it with little trouble, should it wish. _

_ The guard looked on in horror as the screams stopped, the monster lowering its hands with a demented cackle that shook its shoulders. That altered gaze rose to meet his, one eye totally enveloped by the damming shadows as the hollow finally fell quiet. _

_ “ _ We’ll be back for you. _ ” _

_ And it fell. _

_ “No...” Grimmjow ground out through clenched teeth, skittering towards the window as he recovered from the shock. _

_ He made it just in time to watch as his heart took to the tainted skies. Then he felt it, the magic that resided within him rise as his eyes began to glow menacingly, the strange itch as inky blackness inched across his sclera until the white was swallowed. His jaw ached as his canines elongated in his skull, his mouth gaping as it became a menacing maw as his roar took to the cloudless night, following the shrinking figure into the distance. _

_ “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO—” _

“—oooo!”

He bolted upwards in bed, eyes wide, glowing and black as a cold sweat clung to his skin. His hands rose to hold his face, too fast and clumsy, and his newly-reformed claws caught his cheek. He growled at the pain.

The drip of purple crawled down his face, warm and not entirely unwelcome. He wiped it away furiously, and he felt the smear stick to his skin.

His scar was aching again, he noted rather solemnly, his hand brushing over the mangled skin with a reverent air.

_ Damn… _

He could handle nightmares. His own memories, however, tended to haunt him for longer. That one in particular… Well, some things are better left unsaid. There was no need to trouble anyone any more than he already had.

Or maybe it was the need to handle every burden on his lonesome.

He stood, bare skin catching the moonlight through the open window. The fall winds were sweeping through his room, rustling the tattered drapes that hung from what was once a shared bed. His feet dragged as he made his way to the window with shuddering breaths, hands gripping the sill with an iron grip once it was within reach.

The captain took a deep breath as he rocked back on his heels, his face dropping with a sigh as the residual tremors that rolled through his body came to a stop. There was a rippling under his skin that made him hiss, a pain that materialized itself as a familiar burn, and he did his best to hold it back.

With the memory of betrayal still fresh in his mind, thanks to the night’s good graces, it was difficult to prevent the change—the  _ resurrección. _

It happened rather quickly: the flare of fire across his arms that stained his skin black, hardened his fingers into something deadly and inhuman. A snap sounded as his jaw broke of its own accord, unhinging to make room for the maw of fangs. Eyes itched as darkness spread across them and the world suddenly came into extreme focus, the overstimulation too much for his mind.

He took another deep breath and the world seemed to stop, seemed to fall into complete silence as he closed his eyes. He was moving before his mind could fully comprehend the action; claws dug into cool stone, a sharp  _ crack _ echoed throughout the room. A shiver of satisfaction ripped through him at the sound, his glowing eyes slipping open and meeting the glare of the moon. He leaned forward, smile splitting his face as something more primal bled into him, menacing and lethal.

That’s when he let go.

** _That’s when he fell._ **


	7. Chapter 7

There was a cacophony of blaring sounds; nails on slate, warbled screeches that tore through the air and an ominous echo that warned of carnage to come. The sky opened up in a grand display as a menos grande split the very fabric of the heavens and emerged with a roar.

The lone horned hollow’s tongue lolled out of its maw, dripping with hunger at the sight of it. It might not be their intended target, but it would be enough to stave off the starvation and emptiness they felt within their gut. Their tail lashed at the prospect, wings flaring to take flight.

The voice in its head settled at the sight of the immense hollow, the menos. It was understandable. Menos were considered variant hollows, heard of, but never seen. Legend made flesh on this night. More still, they planned on eating it, something that was totally unheard of. The unwelcome presence within the horned demon recoiled against the far reaches of the shared space at the prospect of cannibalism, but it would have to do.

_ You’re a disgusting monster… _ the voice within growled, echoing and quiet.  _ Eating your own kind… _

The hollow let out a harsh growl, not able to form words in this state, and provided the mental image of a young girl torn open by their claws, the pink glare of the moon cast across her skin as they gorged themselves; the alternative. The being within fell silent, a sort of static taking its place.

They took to the sky with a giddy squeal that sounded like death incarnate, shrill and terror-inducing. The menos was slow to react, one talon reaching upwards in an attempt to fend them off, to no avail. The horned hollow, orange mane billowing, wrenched open its maw, an orb of black energy collecting there. The darkness was released in a concentrated beam of destruction that tore a hole through the monster that was roughly the size of a cottage.

The garbled remains of a laugh took to the air as the menos let out an earth-shattering scream that seemed to distort the air like the sun on a hot day. The great monster began a slow retreat, unable to hasten its pace due to its insurmountable size. This greatly amused the horned hollow, a bubbling cackle rumbling in its throat.

With a mighty flap of leathery wings, the horned beast careened towards the wounded hollow, its orange mane thrashing wildly with the movement. The hollow aimed its horns towards the menos’s forehead, going for the killing blow. Like an arrow might split a pig’s hide, its horns opened the path for the rest of its body, wings curling tightly around itself to form a deadly living projectile that was forced out the back of the menos’s head with nothing but momentum. When the horned lord emerged from the other side, its wings snapped out in order to come to a full-stop, spraying blood in wild arcs that seemed to stain the sky.

The menos crumpled as the life left its body, collapsing to the forest below. The cries of falling trees filled the air, and birds took flight and screamed in their surprise. Finally, they could gorge themselves.

They followed their felled prey to the ground, sinking their claws into the tough hide with ease. Their teeth found purchase in the beast’s flesh, jaw nearly unhinging with the horned monster’s enthusiasm.

But peace was not to last, especially for the damned…

There was a harsh flash of blue light that lit the sky like fire before collecting to form slim daggers that rained down from the heavens in an effort to smite the horned creature. The hollow howled in agony as one of them pierced its side, slipping between its ribs and narrowly missing a lung. There was a growl that came from somewhere in the dark, keen eyes searching for shifting shadows as dread settled in.

Nothing had been able to pierce their hide before.

_ He’s here… _ the voice within warned, sounding equally pleased and resigned to whatever fate they would face.

Sure enough, a humanoid hollow—a  _ highborne— _ slinked forward from his hiding spot in the treeline. His stride was calm and confident, maw open and eyes glowing, cyan surrounded by pools of ebony.

The hollow caught itself before the instinct to back away could win over, fighting the urge in order to hold its ground.

The highborne sniffed the air and smelt  _ fear _ .

One of them lunged.

Teeth and claws clashed, one entity fighting for vengeance, the other for survival.

Howls broke the quiet.

The hollow flicked its wings in an attempt to swipe the ground from under the highborne’s paws.

Someone stumbled.

Bodies fell and rolled across the ground, the grass stained by the black blood of the menos.

Flesh was torn.

Desperate to escape the iron clutches of the highborne, the hollow sank its claws into the exposed sternum, curling its fingers and tearing.

He screamed in pain.

Reaching up an arm, the highborne dug his hardened talons into the open wound on his foe’s side, lodging half of his hand inside and curling it into a fist to further widen the wound.

Both of their chests were open and bleeding.

The hollow tore away from the intruding limb with what could only be described as a whimper as it moved to put as much distance between itself and the highborne as possible, snapping its wings and clenching its teeth at the pain that the movement brought on.

They were both weak, but the highborne was stronger.

** _And he didn’t want to die..._ **


	8. Chapter 8

When he woke up, the hazy light of dawn was bleeding in from the window, and he wasn’t alone.

It was both refreshing and terrifying.

He didn't remember making it to bed, let alone being with  _ someone else _ the night before, and it took a moment for him to work up the courage to look over to the unknown body, realizing belatedly that he was rather nude and very much  _ not _ in his own room. Long, orange hair greeted him, the strands mussed from a night of sleep.

_ Inoue. _

She was, gratefully, sleeping fully clothed atop the covers of the bed, hands tucked against her sides for warmth as she breathed slowly.

His memory failed him, as it often did in the days following his use of his resurrección, but he noted the worried line in her usually calm brow and let out a sigh as he reached over to brush her hair from her face. She had become a confidant in the absence of his love. Whether or not that fact was acknowledged by either of them was of no real concern, but it had become glaringly obvious.

Had his heart not belonged to another, he might have indulged the brief fantasies he’d once explored during his late nights alone. He knew, however, how unfair that would be; unfair to both of them, but especially her. Part of his desire stemmed from the striking similarities they shared. Obvious traits and mannerisms that made it glaringly obvious that the two were related.

He frowned and pulled his hand away.

She was so kind, deserving of so much, and to slip into the role of the replacement would be a tragedy, indeed. And entertaining the idea when they were so close to finding his lord felt like a violent betrayal.

The Lady Orihime stirred at the absence of his hand, groaning as she left her trance-like rest; fae needn’t truly sleep like man or highborne, nor did they need to rest for nearly as long. Her eyes slid open, revealing clear brown irises that were two shades too dark, the red and gold flowers surrounding her pupils not as vibrant as he wanted them to be.

“You’re awake.”

The captain simply nodded in response, noting the way his head ached at the sound of her voice; too loud. Everything was always so loud.

She sat up, keeping to a whisper, not wanting to bother his still heightened senses and, unknowingly, failing. “You worried me.”

“What happened?” His voice was gruff and his jaw still ached from the night before, but he paid it no real mind as she rose from the bed.

“You came to me in the night… I could barely recognize you, torn up as you were.” She approached the window, pushing it closed and latching it with a click. “I thought I would have to heal you, but you were fine once you regressed.”

His eyes slipped closed again. “I apologize if I frightened you.”

She let out a bitter laugh. “Nonsense. Nothing  _ frightens _ me anymore...” she explained. “I’ve experienced true fear once, Captain. And it was you who saved me from it.” She turned from the window. “You just worry me to no end.”

He peered at her as he rolled in bed. “Then I apologize for  _ worrying _ you.”

“If only you meant it.” She wore a soft smile that was free of malice as she wandered to the hearth, the flames jumping to life with a wave of her hand and devouring the wood she tossed into it.

It was silent for a moment, then she asked, “Do you remember anything at all?”

Her voice was quiet, but it startled him nonetheless, and he let out a sigh that bordered on exasperation before replying, “I’ve told you before, My Lady, it doesn’t work that way.”

They sat in silence until dawn had passed, Grimmjow silently rising from the bed and taking his leave, ignoring Inoue’s offer of a too-small robe that would do nothing for him, anyway.

.

Harribel looked on in awe, taking in the size of the slaughtered beast as members of the research team examined it.

“What monster could have done this?” she muttered to herself.

An unexpected voice answered, “It was a hollow.”

She tried to hide her flinch from the man that had managed to sneak up on her, eyes going wide as she noticed his crest.

“I wasn’t aware that Hollows were cannibalistic, Major.”

He frowned, eyes sliding from the menos grande corpse to meet her icy gaze.

** _“The normal ones aren’t.”_ **


	9. Chapter 9

The hollow tumbled into the cavern with a thud, crashing into one of the numerous pools that had collected there from the rain days ago. Its sharp facade fell away—talons, tail, horns, wings—blown away like ash caught in the wind. It’d hoped that the wound would’ve vanished as easily.

The hollow clutched at its side, hissing at the pain and, “ _ How dare that highborne menace interrupt my meal?! _ ”

There was dry laughter that echoed within the hollow’s mind from a voice that was not its own.  _ You had it coming. _

The hollow’s eye twitched in irritation, watery voice escaping it before the monster could reign it in, “ _ Shut up, Prince. _ ”

_ You sound angry, _ the voice edged, blatantly aggressive and accompanied by a harsh stabbing pain from within.

Retaliation, it realized.

“ _ And you rather bold, considering what I could do to you _ ,” it growled.

_ You can’t do anything to me! _ the prince snapped back, voice booming within the monster’s skull.  _ Try all you want, but you’ve become too weak of mind to continuously reel me in. _

For a moment, there was a blessed silence, filled only with the hollow’s ragged breathing. But nothing good could last, and the creature mourned the silence when the fae trapped within its mind began to speak again.

His voice carried that same low lilt that it always did when he felt confident enough to speak out against his warden, but the words themselves were uttered with uncertainty,  _ This will be the end for you. You’ve lost, Shiro. Just give me my body back. _

Shiro sneered and began to curl in on itself. “ _ Why? Even if you run back to those pathetic creatures, they’ll just kill you. You see what your precious warrior has done to me, imagine what he could do to you... _ ” It paused for a moment, thinking. “ _ But, considering the trouble you’ve given me, I’d very much like to bear witness to that _ ,” it managed to jest, venomous amusement lacing the hollow’s words.

_ I know. _

Shiro’s face fell.

_ I know what they’ll do to me. I’m prepared for that. _ The prince gave another stab to the monster’s brain.  _ I’d rather die than live like this for the rest of our lives, short lived as it may be. _

The hollow growled in irritation, never one to appreciate vagueness in mock-civil conversation.

_ Grimmjow has found us once, in his resurrección, no less. He’ll be able to find us again without it… _ the prince trailed off, almost lost in thought.  _ And I can almost guarantee you that he will be of sound enough mind and body to actually finish the job next time. _

Silence overcame them.

“ _ We leave at dawn. _ ” Shiro grunted in pain as it situated its wounded form upon the cavern’s floor, tattered clothing absorbing the wet cold of the rock. " _ That will give us time… _ "

_ You cannot run away forever. We are dying anyway. Why prolong the inevitable?  _ the prince asked, sounding resigned to his fate. 

Shiro grit it's teeth. This fae scum might be prepared to face his mortality, but the hollow was a higher being, a god by mortal standards, and they were not supposed to die! Not here, in this wet cavern that slowly leached the warmth from them. Not struggling against that monster of a captain. Not now. Not ever! They had seen the key to immortality and they would not have that dream stolen away by some suicidal voice in their head.

" _ Because I don't want to die. _ "

They refused to.

.

The castle was eerily quiet. It felt empty and wrong. His eyes closed as he leaned his head back against the stone wall of the corridor, ears perked in an attempt to pick up on the minute signs of life he knew to be there.

He was dressed, now. An improvement over this morning's state of complete nakedness, which was the cause for many a highborne's embarrassment. He smiled as he remembered his sister's indignation when she had discovered him trekking from Lady Inoue's rooms to his own, her timeless stuttering bringing forth memories of their youth, back when she was still unsure of herself.

He was drawn from his reverie by the click of boot heels over the floor; the standard issue copper toe guards rattled with each step, a clear tell as to the identity of the approaching soldier. 

The captain felt his smile curl into something more like a smirk.

He remembered how swiftly the kick came, leaving him with a bruise of epic proportions across half of his face. The attacker’s toe guard had come loose from the sheer force behind the action.

It was a pleasant memory, in the end. A story of new friendship.

The steps came to a scraping halt not three feet from his person.

Eyes still closed, he asked, “What brings you out to this part of the mountains, Major?”

“The Academy heard a rumor about a variant form of humanoid hollow,” a familiar voice replied in a safe, warm drawl.

“And they sent you to investigate.”

It wasn’t a question. Contrary to Academy opinion, he was smarter than he looked, on top of being apt when it came to battle strategy; he had proved that during his time as head of strategy in the royal army.

But that was decades ago.

The captain could hear the smile in his company’s voice when he next spoke, “And they had hoped that you would be receptive to my input.”

“Gonna tell me how to lead my men into fire?” he managed with a flash of his teeth, a half smile that was equally threatening as it was goofy.

The major sighed.

“No. That’s not my job.”

There was a beat of silence. The captain opened his blue eyes, revealing that ever-present, otherworldly glow. All things pleasant dropped from his face as his gaze locked with that of his longest friend.

He, too, looked unchanged, untouched by time. His hair was tied back in a bun, his eyes steady, mouth set in a grim line; business, through and through.

It almost made him miss their cadet days.

“Then what is your job, Starrk?”

Without missing a beat, the major straightened his back, becoming as big as possible, as intimidating as possible. It had the opposite effect, but Grimmjow kept his expression neutral, his posture relaxed.

“ _ Major _ ,” he snarled.

** _“My job is to kick you headfirst into the flames.”_ **


	10. Chapter 10

"They know, Grimmjow. You  _ cannot  _ keep this under control."

The captain paced across the study and glared at the major, of whom sat upon his chair like it was a stolen throne. 

"They know  _ nothing _ ," he growled, eyes alight with an angry flame that warned of the demon beneath the surface 

"Like it or not, my friend, all that nothing has finally amounted to something," Starrk drawled, deceptively calm and collected in the wake of the captain's unrest. "You have proven to be too emotionally invested in this creature, and the Academy has concerns."

"He isn't some creature!"

"And you are only proving my point."

Starrk's voice was slow, measured in a meticulous way that never failed to quiet a room. It managed to make the captain come to a halt, the firm tone almost jarring as he remembered the fact that he was no longer the highest ranking officer in the compound.

"I will not be uprooted from my post due to groundless suspicions," he muttered, barely audible to his audience. "The Academy be damned. If Aizen and his goons want to reassign me, they can do it themselves."

"The claims are hardly groundless…" Starrk began, kicking his feet up on the desk. "If it were any other hollow, I'd wager that you'd have killed it by now."

The words spurred a nudge in his memory, horns and blood and screaming. The familiar itch of pitch burned at the back of his eyes.

Time seemed to stop.

_ It should be impossible for me to remember… So how? _

"I almost did…" he muttered, surprised at the revelation. 

"What was that?"

Grimmjow snapped his gaze back to Starrk's face, the highborne looking at him with a drowsy expression. 

"Nothing of importance, I assure you, Starrk," he managed, speaking up so that the man could hear this time around. 

The major looked unsure, but remained silent.

The captain shook his head violently, catching himself reaching up to pull at already mussed black strands—a nervous tick he had yet to rid himself of. "Why come now? Why not a week ago? Why not when my men started coming home, missing limbs?" Grimm growled darkly.

"In addition to the obvious…?" Starrk trailed off and shifted in his pseudo throne, finally looking some semblance of uncomfortable. He spoke in his trademark steady timbre, "The Academy astronomer suspects a blood moon will mar the sky before the month is out."

Silence hung heavy in the study, suffocating as it left the captain's ears ringing. 

“How long until I can expect to be usurped?” the captain ground out, his entire body going stiff.

With his recent _ unproductive activity _ and a blood moon creeping over the horizon, it was the only reasonable conclusion. 

"It might not need to come to that…"

Grimmjow laughed bitterly at the obvious lie.

"Bullshit," he growled, eyes glinting as something more feral took over. "They never would've sent you if they intended to give me any sort of ultimatum… You know that as well as I." He paused. "Besides, they enjoy having a toy to play with too much for them to send it away if they believe little more than some simple incentive is required."

Starrk looked less uncomfortable now; his eyes held a simmering anger that made the blue eyed menace's blood boil pleasantly. 

"Watch your tongue, boy."

"Or  _ what _ ?" he challenged. "I'm one of the best soldiers in the nation. I doubt your masters will leave you with enough slack on your leash to do me any real harm, damn  _ dog _ ."

Starrk breathed, closed his eyes. "I know what you're trying to do, Grimmjow, but I will not fight you." His eyes opened, reverted back to that calm cold… "Your wrath is better served when directed towards the common enemy. Of this, I can assure you."

The captain snarled. "How do you expect me to react?"

"What I expect is unimportant. What matters is that you  _ should be _ conducting yourself in a manner that at least makes it  _ seem _ as though you don't want to be dragged back to the Academy," he managed with a sigh. "You and I both know that that is not the life for you…"

He could feel the pitch begin to creep it's way across his sclera at the involuntary memory; chains, whips, cages, and tests as a name fell from his lips… And all he had wanted at the time was to return home, back when these ruins still held warmth…

To return to his heart. 

"Is that a threat…?"

His voice was so quiet that it was almost a whisper. 

"If it has to be."

Starrk stood and marched to the heavy wooden door, brisk in his movements. He paused, his hand braced on the latch. 

"You have one week."

** _His voice rang with finality that was further punctuated by an echoing slam._ **


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I'm so sorry for the late update! I was extremely distracted yesterday because we were celebrating my mom's birthday...
> 
> -Chris

_ Cold. Dark. Alone. _

_ He had been here long enough for his eyes to adjust, glowing harshly in the absolute darkness. With every shiver brought on by the damp stone—a product of being locked in a room without a drain for what had to be several days—his pride was wounded. He’d been reverted to a sniveling creature, afraid of the touch of man and blinded by sudden light. _

_ They’d made him a rat because they had no use for lions. _

_ His stomach groaned, the ache dull enough that he could ignore it for now; they were starving him, had been since he was pulled from the castle and his duties. It was of little concern, however, when compared to the splitting pain within his head that was able to drown out everything else; it was a pain that could only be soothed by proximity, the one thing they would deny him until he became compliant. _

_ It was smothering, but still not quite enough to pull the snarl from his face, still not enough to quell his spirit. _

_ The door opened again, an imposing form haunting the doorway, backlit by the dim torches of the corridor. He squinted against the foreign glow and growled at the intruder. _

_ “Now,  _ Captain _ .” The title was spoken as an insult and it made his blood boil. “There’s no need to be so hostile… Are you ready to try again?” _

_ It wasn’t a question, as was reflected when two men in red cloaks swept into the room with purpose, their approach sending him scrambling against the wall. _

Weak!

_ He bared his teeth, growling, attempting to hide the mounting fear with aggression. It did little to stop one of the men from grabbing his blue mane and pulling with an unnecessary amount of force, malnourished enough to the point that he could do little more than thrash mildly in retaliation.  _

_ Like hell if he’d let them near him with those damn knives again, allow them to strap him to that damned table… His wrists were still scabbed and raw from his last bout with the restraints, his hips still bruised from— _

_ “Stop!” _

_ The command was booming and demanded obedience. He knew that voice all too well, had pledged his loyalty to that voice, had fought in battle with the gruff timbre shouting vengeance to the skies. _

_ The king. _

.

He opened his eyes, the dream behind him, fading back into his past where it belonged. His head ached, forcing his eyes shut once more. So many memories… So much pain…

The Academy. Such a horrid organization, run by the most ruthless of men, none of whom were above torture, or murder, or any other act to strip a victim of their will. They made loyal dogs of those who were once fierce warriors and strong men. He had almost become one of them, had he not been rescued by his lord, his king…

_ Hands, grabbing, scoring flesh and leaving purple blossoms across his skin in some display of macabre beauty. _

He shivered. The last thing he wanted was to return to that personal hell.

With a sleep-muddled groan, he sat up in bed, feeling cold as his nakedness was revealed to the gray morning. It was still early enough to where he could not yet hear the echoing clicks of boots as his men patrolled the halls. He breathed out a slow sigh, hand coming up to comb through his disheveled black locks with an air of exasperation. 

If he wished to avoid being dragged away from his post once again, he would need to do what was asked of him. 

The thought made his blood run cold.

_ One week… _

A breath in…

_ One week… _

...Out…

He swung his legs out over the edge of the bed as his thoughts raced across his mind. He wasn't ready, but he would have to be. With Starrk present now, it would be harder to execute his initial plan, but he'd be damned if he let one hiccup stop him after decades of research and development.

He'd be ready when the time came. And he'd succeeded, too.

** _He'd bring back that stubborn ass in one piece, even if it killed him!_ **


	12. Chapter 12

"Captain!"

Harribel snapped her head around to catch the piercing green eyes of Mila Rose as she burst through her chamber doors. She slipped into a stiff salute, obviously distraught, with a furrowed brow and trembling fist. 

"Speak."

"It's Apacci, Captain."

The blonde tossed the tunic she had been halfheartedly folding to the side, immediately undoing her sloppy work. "Has she returned from her patrol? I've been anticipating her report."

Mila Rose's jaw clenched painfully. "I'm afraid that you won't be getting that report any time soon. She's currently being tended to by Captain Jaegerjaques's witch," she spat with poorly concealed disgust.

Harribel's eyes went hard as steel, all the warmth immediately leached from them. She began to march from the room, purposeful in her stride, and her officer fell into step behind her. 

"What happened?" She demanded in that level monotone she was known for at The Academy. 

"I'm not entirely sure, but from what little I was able to see, I can say with a fair amount of confidence that the peculiar variant hollow Jaegerjaques and his squad have been hunting is most likely to blame," she let out in a rush of breath.

"On what grounds, exactly?"

Harribel pivoted and started off in the opposite direction of the medic's quarters, fury spurring her on. Mila Rose followed with her usual amazonian grace, not even a visible stutter in her movement.

"I managed to glimpse her wounds. They were almost identical to the previous victims'."

"I've heard enough." Harribel felt her brow begin to furrow, a crack in her usually calm facade. "Monitor her condition and keep me posted."

"Captain?" The tall, dark-skinned highborne slowed as the blonde captain came to a halt.

"I'm going to have an impromptu meeting with Captain Jaegerjaques."

Her stern voice was punctuated by the metallic click of her boots as she continued her pace down the hall, leaving Mila Rose to her own devices. Sharp eyes watched until her captain was out of sight, fighting the urge to follow when she knew that her presence was not needed.

Although, the thought of Jaegerjaques being subjected to the blonde's particular brand of wrath was almost enough incentive to disregard her captain's orders…

She shook her head and turned on her heel, making her way to the medic's rooms with sure steps. 

.

Sweat collected on her brow, shimmering in the dim light of the torches as she heaved with exertion. Stepping back, she was only able to narrowly avoid collapsing. The highborne stretched across the table shivered and gasped with the ebbing pain that was brought on by her body attempting to catch up with the forced healing. 

The day had been long. The girl—Apacci, her green eyed companion had informed her upon returning from whatever venture she had embarked upon—had been the third patient to require such intense treatment.

At this point, she didn't even need to ask what had inflicted the injuries. She'd become familiar enough with the creature's handiwork to identify it as though it were second nature. 

This couldn't continue…

"Lady Inoue?"

The familiar voice of Nelliel floated through the room as she poked her head into the clinic; the soothing lilt sent a wave of calm washing over her. 

"Lieutenant…"

"Sorry for the intrusion. I brought you some food and drink." She smiled sheepishly. "The captain was concerned over whether or not you had eaten."

"Of course he was…" she sighed. "Come in."

Nell edged into the room, eyeing the highborne on the table, now unconscious, as she passed. "Is that why you look so exhausted?"

"In part," she muttered as she brought a hand to her face with a weary smile, "but looking after you lot is a long, taxing endeavor."

"But you love us, regardless," the bright woman chirped, setting the tray of goods she carried on the squat table in the corner of the room that Inoue usually used for her tea breaks.

The fae didn’t bother denying the obvious observation.

"I'll leave you to your quiet. I doubt that you have much energy for people at the moment," she nearly cooed, hand brushing the ginger's shoulder as she retreated to the exit. 

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Send the captain my regards."

With a nod of acknowledgment, Nelliel slipped out into the hall, closing the door behind her as softly as the heavy wood would allow. The fae slumped in her absence and spared a glance towards the incapacitated girl sharing the room with her.

_ So much pain _ , she thought.  _ And to what end? _

Inoue huffed and sank into the familiar comfort of her favorite chair with a faint sigh.

Her dear cousin had certainly caused a lot of trouble, even in his absence.

** _Apparently, there are some things that even hollowfication cannot change about a man…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love progress...
> 
> So, my city is on lockdown because everyone is reacting severely to the absurdity that it the corona virus. That being said, I figured I might as well give you guys a little PSA: be aware, and be calm. The worst thing you can do in any situation is panic.
> 
> Keep your hands clean. Avoid touching your face. I know that there's been a severe shortage of hand sanitizer; spoiler alert, you won't be needing it. Covid-19 is a *virus*, meaning that it's cell walls are made primarily of fats. What breaks down fats? Other fats! So instead of trying to stock up on *antibacterials* (like hand sanitizer) pick up some bar soap. It will actually work better when it comes to killing the virus.
> 
> Another thing, the only real danger posed by the virus is the fact that it's new. People tend to fear that which is new or unknown. Looking at the facts objectively, the virus is in all actuality less lethal than the flu. Statistics show that the virus only poses a real threat for those over the age of 50 with pre-existing conditions, especially those related to the heart and lungs, and there have been fairly low mortality rates for young adults and children.
> 
> This isn't the first "epidemic" we've experienced and it certainly won't be the last. Despite the planet's historical efforts to force us into our demise, we are still alive and kicking (regrettably, in some cases) and given time, this too shall fade into history, barely given much thought by future generations. 
> 
> All in all, what a wonderful time to be alive.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys, so I'm gonna be busy building a chicken coup this weekend. SO, early update. Have fun.  
-Chris

Her hands slammed onto the desk, disturbing some of the papers and allowing them to flutter in distress, but the blue eyed highborne didn’t even acknowledge her outburst, his eyes still trained on the same damn paper he’d been staring at since she burst through the door of the study with fury in her eyes.

“Do calm yourself, Harribel,” he advised in an infuriatingly level tone. “They’re your soldiers, not your children.” He looked up at her, eyes almost visibly burning with some unfathomable emotion.

She drew a harsh breath of surprise.

“We all signed up for service,” he continued, thumb teasing the edge of the parchment still in his grasp as his otherworldly gaze skimmed over the words for the upteenth time. “Your men included. Injury and death are risks we were all willing to take in order to protect the people who couldn’t protect themselves.”

A cruel smile crossed his face, widening until it revealed the daggers he hid in his mouth, gleaming ivory in the low candle light. His eyes never left the words on the page, narrowed like the black scrawls had offended him in some way.

“Or did those Academy bastards change the oath since I’ve been away?”

The blonde stiffened, shoulders going rigid.

“The oath can go to hell,” she ground out.

He had the gall to scoff at her, “Oh? Aren’t you rather  _ bold. _ Fine, here.” He tossed the document he held onto the desk so that the peaked calligraphy was visible. “Look.”

She recognized the handwriting, though it had been a long time since she had seen it.

“Ichimaru…?” she whispered. “The astronomer? I thought—”

“We all thought,” he interrupted. “I was pretty sure that the Aizen did away with the bastard himself, but the man’s like a roach, impossible to crush...” He pushed a hand through his black hair. “I’d love to split him in two,” he muttered absently, so quiet that Harribel almost couldn’t hear.

“Sir?” She leaned back, pulling away from the desk.

She caught his eyes, marveling again at the intense oddity; they were so terribly unique, their eerie glow setting them apart from any highborne or fae, and cold enough to make her shiver.

He shook his head in dismissal. “There’s a blood moon on the rise. It’ll be here in a matter of days, most likely. Definitely before the month is out,” he informed, leaning back in his high-back chair. “And I have less than a week to hunt down a hollow that has managed to cripple countless men.”

Harribel clenched her jaw.

“Countless men that  _ you _ put out there to suffer,” she spat, temper overflowing again.

“You’re not wrong,” he whispered. "But you could stand to be more right."

She blinked, rather owlish, and opened her mouth only to realize that she had nothing to say. Captain Jaegerjaques, for his part, brought his hands to his temples and rubbed small circles into the skin in an attempt to soothe whatever strange ache plagued him, his eyes falling shut with the motion.

Harribel could almost hear his teeth grind together before he spoke, "...I will take your…  _ complaint  _ into consideration. I've got too much on my plate to deal with you right now."

The blonde tried to keep from sucking her teeth in response. 

"Dismissed, Captain."

Her eyes roved over his face for a moment before she turned on her heel and marched from the room, more angry at the fact that she couldn't bring herself to _be_ _angry _at him anymore…! Harribel eased the door shut behind her and let out a sigh of resignation. 

_ That damn oath… _

.

Starrk sat on the roof, rough shingles pushing into the meat of his palm, grounding him as he watched the hazy dawn crawl across the horizon. The night had been quiet, which made it unpleasant. 

Terrible things liked to lurk in the quiet, he knew. 

The morning was beginning to look as though it, too, would pass silently.

As the rays of the first sun began to kiss the jagged cliffs surrounding the castle, he heard it: a shrill cry that could split the heavens. 

A hollow. 

His eyes narrowed, brow furrowed with the effort. Yes, there would be no peace today. 

** _Some demented part of him fought back a grin._ **


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still no betas, we die as men.  
-Chris
> 
> PS, I'm writing thr prequel to this fic. It's called "Under a Sky of Stars", and it will be a way for me to expand on this world and abilities that the characters have, as well as explore the relationships that were already established at the start of this fic. I'm really looking forward to it, and I hope to see you guys there when it does get posted. I'm planning to launch that on the day the last chapter for this fic is posted, but I'll announce exactly when that will be in future notes, so keep an eye out. I've already written five chapters, each at about 1K words or more. I'm planning on UASOS to be much longer than this fic, which means a hella slow burn and tons of natural character development.
> 
> Thanks for reading and, as always, I hope you guys enjoy.

The heavy footfalls of soldiers echoed down the halls, following behind three regal figures in white robes. Their apparent leader was surrounded by an untamed malice and his sharp stare speared any man who dared meet his eyes as he pushed on with purpose. The parade came to a halt when a lone female figure turned the corner, her presence blocking their advances.

Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the men leading the unfamiliar _ militia _through the halls of her brother's outpost; fae from The Academy. 

"Lieutenant Tu Odelschwanck," the imposing man standing dead center before the crowd began with a voice that held an airy disregard, "it would be in your best interest to move aside."

The green haired woman squared her shoulders and, through clenched teeth, growled, "What business have you here? Your presence is unwanted."

A looming shadow of a man to the right of the uninvited guest poised himself to strike at her words, but the front man held out an arm in deterrence.

"No need for violence against one of our own, Tousen."

The remark made her blood boil. 

"Sir." The guard allowed his hand to drop from the hilt of his sword.

"Aizen," she sneered. "Why have you come here?"

He looked at her, rather disinterestedly, and allowed a hollow smile filled with false charm and poorly concealed disgust to plague his face. "The Academy was informed of suspicious hollow-related activity, specifically eerie calls in the night that bore startling resemblance to records kept of previous menos grande encounters." 

Aizen snapped his fingers, his other fae companion—a silver haired monstrosity that she distinctly remembered destroying with her fist—handed off a document for reference, its wax seal broken, but recognizable: Starrk. 

She resisted the urge to grind her teeth into splinters. 

"According to our information, the howling started about three days ago," he recalled, skimming over the parchment for show.

His brown eyes slid up to meet hers, causing a shiver of disgust to roll down her spine.

"Considering the fact that reports are still coming in to Academy headquarters, I've taken it upon myself to assist with the matter."

Aizen handed off the document to the familiar astronomer once again, the lanky bastard having the brain to keep quiet in his current company. Although, the eyes that peered down at her from behind half mast lids promised a future confrontation.

She'd rather die.

"That being said," Aizen began, regaining her attention, "I'm here for your captain. Tell me, where can I find Jaegerjaques?"

She sneered at him, unable to help herself. "The captain is unavailable, I'm afraid. I'm in charge of his post in his absence," she informed rather curtly, taking immense pleasure in the way his face began to contort in some obscene display of dissatisfaction.

"Whatever you wished to discuss with him, you may do so with me."

.

Grimmjow glared at the offending sky, littered with stars, then cast his gaze down the sheer cliffs to what was once a flourishing city.

He remembered the first time he set eyes on the capitol. Glittering glory, bursting with magic of all kinds. It had made him dizzy. Now, barely an echo of what once was remains; most of the energy he felt was residual now, in addition to the small sparks that stemmed from the few who couldn't afford to flee in the wake of the disaster that leveled the 15th noble family.

So many bodies had littered the streets.

_ So many friends, gone… _

He adjusted the pack on his back with a huff.

"Is something wrong, Captain Jaegerjaques?"

He turned to his companion, dressed down in a pair of trousers, worn boots, a traveling cloak, and a modest blouse, no corset to be seen. Inoue looked rather unlike herself, and he found it to be refreshing.

The captain gave a little smirk. "Not at all, M'Lady."

She looked unconvinced. "Grimmjow, please."

He let out a sigh and turned back to continue along the trail that had them teetering closely to the edge of the cliffs, the sounds of the waves below daunting in their own right. The smell of salt was strong here. 

"It doesn't matter. It's just a memory now, anyway."

Her footsteps slowed to a halt for a beat of silence before they picked up again with purpose.

"A memory holds importance, no matter how insignificant it may seem, Captain," she whispered. "If they really didn't matter, we would never remember them."

** _If she noticed his step falter at her words, she said nothing._ **


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so as I'm sure some of you have noticed, there is now a set chapter limit for this fic. Chapters from here on out are going to be a bit heavier, just a warning. The end is near and I'm both excited and sad to be ending this fic. As announced in earlier chapters, I am currently working on the prequel to this fic, Under a Sky of Stars (UASOS), and I hope that those of you who invested time and interest in this fic are as excited as I am about the upcoming release of this new story. Please keep an eye out. The first chapter will be posted at the same time as Otherworld's finale.
> 
> I love seeing people keeping this fic afloat, and I also love hearing from you.
> 
> Wishing you the best at home!
> 
> -Chris

The forest was dense, more so than he remembered, but was to be expected. Few dared enter the woods, especially now.

He ran his hand down the length of an Elderwood tree, feeling for distinctive divots in the dark. There, at about shoulder height, was a sharp V carved into the bark. 

_ Venrynn. _ Left, then.

He looked back down the overgrown trail, eyes locking onto his companion with some form of endeared annoyance. She was out of practice, but he needed her if this plan was going to work…

"We stay off the path from here on out," he informed with a stern look in his eye. "This is your last chance to go back."

Inoue met his gaze with determination. "I'm not going anywhere, Captain. This plan of yours… You and I both know you can't do it alone."

He shrugged. "I could, should the need arise."

"You would die in the process," she reminded. "I don't think he would forgive you for that."

Grimmjow actually managed a laugh, poor as it was. "You and I both know he would never blame me."

She cracked an empty grin. "He'd be too busy blaming himself," she yielded in a whisper, coming to stand beside him.

"I miss that asshole…"

The noble rested a hand on his shoulder, squeezing in reassurance. "With any luck, we'll see him again soon enough."

He swallowed, returning his attention to the tree.

" _ Der t'biintyrr hæh vost præghyrr… _ "

Inoue blinked up at him owlishly, her hand dropping from his shoulder. "Beg pardon?"

"It's Olde Tongue," he offered. 

"Yes, but I wasn't aware you knew any such thing," she managed, voice taking on a mystified edge.

"Why does this come as a surprise to you?" he asked, a strange uneasiness settling within his eyes as he continued onward to the left of the tree. "If you know Olde Tongue, it isn't so farfetched to think that I would know it, too, is it?

"But I  _ don't _ know it," she informed, never taking her eyes off of him. "All my tutors thought it irrelevant, so I never learned. In fact, the only person I ever knew to learn it was…" she trailed off. "You taught him."

He remained silent.

"You did, didn't you?" Her tone was blanketed even more by that strange wonder.

Resigned, he confessed, "I did."

"Why?"

"Simply put, because he asked." His response was clipped, tone sharp, but it did little to deter her.

"Grimm," she sighed, and though he wasn't looking at her, he could imagine her dissatisfied face.

He groaned.

"We wanted a way to speak with one another without worry of prying ears. Mind your own!" he barked, and he felt his neck go hot from the confession.

She gave a little contented smile. "So what you said earlier… What does it mean?"

His step faltered, his fingers running over the bark of yet another Elderwood tree.

_ Venrynn. _ Keep left.

"It means… ' _ Follow the trees to find your heart _ '," he informed, pushing through the thick underbrush. "We carved directions into the Elderwood trees all throughout the forest. It’s how we were able to find one another," he whispered, palming the trunk of another tree.

_ Udyrr. _ Turn right.

"They all lead to the same place, and if that  _ thing  _ wants to find me, it'll know to look here before the compound," he reasoned, nodding to himself.

He pieced his way through the woods one tree at a time, the area slowly growing to be more and more familiar.  _ Udyrr, venrynn, udyrr, udyrr, venrynn, udyrr, _ until the trees gave way to a familiar clearing.

A weeping willow looked terribly out of place in the center of the perfectly circular clearing, surrounded by plush grass and glowing flowers. Magic radiated from every leaf. Grimmjow could drown in the energy here.

Inoue gaped at the sight. "It's gorgeous…"

"Thank you," he mumbled. "It's nice to have someone appreciate my work after all this time."

" _ You _ did this? All this—" she motioned to the clearing as a whole "—is your doing?"

He nodded stoically, trudging towards the willow tree.

"I knew you were capable of magic, but I never knew it was to such an extent."

She scurried along to catch up.

He pulled back the natural curtain made by the willow branches and waited for his charge to enter before him. What waited for them wasn't much, but it was still a certain brand of beautiful. At the base of the willow was a still pool filled with slivered water that reflected the canopy perfectly, but when she peered over the edge into the surface, her own reflection was nowhere to be found.

"It's a doorway," he explained, his voice so close to her ear so suddenly that it made her jump in surprise. "And like any other door, once it opens, you can just walk in."

Grimmjow took her hand in his and met her gaze.

"Remember the plan. Wait for my signal. And whatever you do, don't interfere."

** _He pushed her into the pool._ **


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, but I've been getting some last minute stuff together in preparation for Mother's Day tomorrow—or, or, later today, I guess. Ha ha, I'm terrible. I totally forgot that it was that time of year already...
> 
> Anyway, as always, I hope you guys enjoy the fic.
> 
> -Chris

Inoue had expected to land in the cool water with a splash, to have to splutter her way back to the surface, to glare at the guard’s idea of a poor practical joke, but no such thing came to pass. Instead, she was taken by surprise when a  _ woosh _ of air overcame her and she collapsed on her side in the plush grass that had been under her feet moments before, perfectly dry with only a few hairs out of place.

“Grimmjow?”

She turned onto her back with a soft  _ oof _ , but the man was nowhere in sight. After a moment of disoriented confusion, she crawled over to the pool and peered over the edge. There, standing on the other side peering back at her, was Captain Jaegerjaques, though his image was distorted from the settling ripples over the water’s surface.

When he spoke, his voice was warped, like she was underwater, “I’m counting on you. For this to work, it can’t know you’re here, so I need you to stay away from the edge of the pool.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion as her eyes followed the ripples. “B-but how will I know when you signal me if I can’t see anything?”

The surface finally settled enough for her to see the resigned smile he wore, a halfhearted mask. “You’ll know.”

Hesitantly, she reached her hand into the pool. She felt a cool breeze across her skin, and then the warm air of the clearing. The highborne hesitated for a moment before kneeling to take her hand in a firm grasp that made her feel immense comfort, as was expected from her savior and protector of nearly four decades.

She smiled at the contact, though it began to shake with restrained emotion.

“...I’m scared, Grimm.”

His thumb stroked over her knuckles before he brought her hand to his lips to press a lingering kiss to the soft skin there. “You’ll be okay. I will— _ we _ will all be okay,” he insisted, his hot breath feathering out across where his lips brushed when he spoke.

He released her hand and stood. “Try to be brave for me.”

She nodded frantically, pulling her hand back through the water as she released a shuddering breath she didn’t know she was holding. He met her eyes with that striking blue gaze, usually so composed but now blazing with some conflicted hope. Then, he turned and stepped away from the water’s edge. Inoue knew he was within reach, just barely out of view. If she leaned farther, she would be able to see him, but she leaned back on her heels, not wanting him to see the silent tears that had begun to fall.

What chances did the two of them have, realistically? She had doubts, but Grimmjow seemed as sure of himself as always.

It was crazy, without a doubt, and without help it could very well be suicide. She turned her gaze toward the canopy as her shoulders shook.

“Don’t die...” she whispered, like a prayer. “Please, don’t let him die...”

.

Nelliel was murderous as she swept through the castle corridors, glaring daggers at anyone who dared block her path. Her eyes were cold and hard, reminiscent of her brother’s own glare.

If only her mother could see her now.

The lieutenant turned the corner and was greeted by the heavy door of the guest quarters, the traitor hidden just beyond. Nell grit her teeth together so hard that she felt it in her temples as she reared back and kicked the space over the door latch much harder than necessary. With a splintered  _ crack _ , the door gave way and flew open, slamming against the stone wall and successfully startling the man in the room.

Oh, her mother would be so proud.

With a fury that could only be matched by that of the woman who had raised her, Nelliel glided into the room, the temperature dropping from her presence alone as her magic sought out the source of her displeasure. She growled out Starrk’s name as she prowled closer.

When he opened his mouth to speak, a cloud of white escaped his lips, but there was nothing beyond a choked exclamation of surprise as the lieutenant grasped his uniform collar and hefted him from the ground. With him elevated, she wrapped her other hand firmly around the wide belt that secured his trousers. She spun with a yell, holding him horizontal until suddenly, she wasn’t.

There was a crash when he collided with the chest of drawers, the sound of splitting wood making her feel the slightest bit better. Her strides were purposeful as she made her way across the bedchamber to her felled prey. He looked disoriented, but relatively unharmed as she squatted next to him, eyes searching his face.

** _“You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do...”_ **


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a few chapters left, guys...  
-Chris

Shiro could feel the energy lingering on the horizon, a power that would soon be in its reach. The voice in its head was oddly quiet, had been since the initial run-in with that damn highborne. Not that the hollow would dare to admit it allowed, but the nagging companionship was missed to an extent.

Or rather, the silence annoyed it more than the chatter, and the hollow mentioned as much on several occasions. Trying again wouldn’t hurt.

“ _ Your silence is aggravating, Highness. _ ”

That evoked no response, of course.

“ _ Is this your new way of protesting? _ ” Shiro scoffed, snarl curling the hollow’s lip. “ _ How admirable. _ ”

The hollow felt the heavy presence at the back of its mind and the knowledge that the fae trapped there was listening and  _ ignoring _ its words sent a brief flash of rage shooting up its spine. Surprisingly enough, that did garner a reaction, albeit a nonverbal one in the form of bitter amusement.

“ _ Yes, King, laugh while you can... _ ” the tone was ominous as the hollow cast its gaze to the sky, cataloging the slow trail the suns took as they passed overhead. “ _ After all, it won’t be long now. _ ”

The feeling of dread that began swirling out from the fae imprisoned within their shared mindscape was as satisfying as it was off putting, the emotion still fairly foreign to Shiro. However, it did nothing to curb the intensity of the hollow’s self-indulgent grin.

“ _ Come tonight, I’ll finally be rid of you. _ ”

A shiver not its own shook their shared body.

“ _ Maybe if you behave yourself, I’ll even allow you a final goodbye... _ ”

.

Starrk opened his eyes with a groan, waiting to speak until his gaze focused on one image of Lieutenant Tu Odelschwanck instead of the three that floated across his vision. Her eyes were hot with the flames of rage he so often observed in Captain Jeagerjaques, and he saw the man in every inch of her visible fury—from the furrow of her brow to the twist of her lips.

She had been so much cuter when she was a girl…

“Wha’ could I possibly… need to explain to you…?” he slurred, head pounding.

She smiled, though it was anything but pleasant.

“Tell me, major,” she whispered slowly, voice smooth and pleasant to the ear under any other circumstance. “Why did you contact Aizen?”

“He didn’t,” a hauntingly chipper voice interjected from the open door. “He contacted  _ me _ . Aizen intercepted through his usual means.”

Nelliel’s blood ran cold but she dared not turn to face the intruder, even when she heard the door groan as it was shut.

“It’s been a long time, Tu Odelschwanck,” the snake hissed.

She rose to her full height and glared at the wall, refusing to meet his eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to be dead?” she spat, voice laced with venom.

He didn’t respond, but he didn’t need to.

“I should have killed you myself, Ichimaru...”

What came out of his mouth next was unexpected: “Yes, you should have.”

At that remark, she whipped her head around to glare at him openly. Ichimaru’s blue eyes were staring into her soul with an emptiness that was so unlike the man she once knew that the sight almost broke her heart.

“And if I decided to do so now?”

His eyes closed, arms spread in offering. “It would be a kind mercy, and I would welcome it happily.”

She snarled at him, knowing her brother would do the same. “Mercy isn’t in my blood.”

“Nor is the willingness to damage your pride by striking down an unarmed foe,” he added airily, arms falling to rest at his sides once again. “Your father was much the same, your brother as well.” He smiled sweetly, but his eyes were still voids. “I’m pleased to see that you’ve inherited the Jeagerjaques’ hot bloodedness.”

She watched in silent anger as the astronomer made himself at home, sitting on the edge of the bed and turning his back to her as a result. It was a silent offering, though she was hesitant to accept it.

“You have no right to speak the name of my family.”

“True, though harsh.”

She scoffed, then looked back to Starrk when she heard him stir.

“No harsher than you,” she growled, intending to keep her distance from the fae.

He hummed, contemplative, “To what are you referring, Lieutenant?”

“Don’t play coy,” she demanded. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Ichimaru grinned from ear to ear, eyes closed and head bowed. “Ah, yes. Your brother’s little…  _ holiday _ at The Academy.” He turned his head to the side, just enough for her to see his face. “I do believe that I personally settled that issue. And for your sake, I might add.”

She felt her temper rear its head as she made to step forward, only to meet resistance in the form of Starrk gripping her arm. Nelliel met his eyes, those gray irises simultaneously burning his soul like hellfire and freezing the major to the spot.

“Release me this instant,” she ground out, voice even and carrying a silent yet promising threat.

“No,” came the stern reply, though his eyes betrayed his unease.

When her face shifted to something more manic, the grip tightened. Ichimaru looked on with knowing eyes, letting out a dismissive hum as he turned from the scene.

“I really didn’t do anything to him, you know,” the astronomer drawled, a strange lilt within his voice that grated the lieutenant’s nerves  _ just so _ . “I might have been tasked with collecting him, but after that everything was out of my hands. Kurotsuchi was the one charged with punishment.”

Nelliel fell still. “Punishment?”

Her eyes were trained on Starrk’s shoulder, the dead gaze penetrating every aspect of his existence and making him shiver. Instinct tried to force movement, tell him to run from her—from this girl he had seen grow from a young age. Her lips twitched and the movement was just enough of a shock for him to loosen his grip, giving her the opportunity to vanish from his sight for the moment it took to leap across the room and tackle the fae to the ground.

“You took a boy,  _ a child _ , from his home, his family, and his  _ ræhyrr _ under the cover of darkness!” she snarled into his face, spit dripping from her rage as she gripped his robes so firmly that she could feel seams pop and tear. “You delivered him into the hands of his tormentors! He,  _ my brother _ , was beaten bloody, cut open, starved, and violated more times than he could count, and it was  _ just a simple punishment _ ?!”

The temperature in the room dropped drastically as the light seemed to vanish, the air itself crackling with a dangerous energy.

“You… All of Aizen’s men make me sick, but  _ you… _ You,” she growled, hand coming up from his collar to twist around his throat. “You were the catalyst for his suffering, and I will never forgive you for that.”

“I don’t expect you to… But I beg of you, listen to me now.”

Her face screwed up into something that spoke only of disdain.

“Why should I believe anything you have to say?”

His lips quirked upwards in a manner that might have landed somewhere between teasing and taunting and his hands came up to loop around her wrist. The grip was loose, and instead of attempting to push her away, he put pressure on the hand that wished to end him. His eyes were open now, meeting her own with some intensity she had yet to see from him and contradicting the pull of his lips.

Ichimaru could never keep his eyes clear. They were too sincere, so he learned to keep them hooded as a way to obstruct the truth. She saw guilt, remorse, and a lack of will.

He really wouldn’t stop her. She knew that.

“Because it concerns the safety of your brother and the young king.”

** _She let him go._ **


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhm, yeah. I almost forgot to post this, so it's late. My bad.  
-Chris

Grimmjow lay in the plush grass, gaze turned towards the sky to watch the final hints of daylight fade beyond the horizon. The sky was clouded, not enough for rain but enough to obscure the light of the moon and deepen the shadows around the clearing. An admittedly nervous tremor rolled down his spine and he tried to dismiss it, but it returned with a vengeance when the clouds shifted once again, revealing the pink tinge of the moon.

While the color wasn't yet as bright as it would be, there was only a matter of minutes before enough crimson stained the celestial body to make this whole ordeal difficult.

The notion made him grimace.

Hollows, he'd come to realize over the years, were exceedingly dependent upon the moon. His research had shown that they were weakest during the new moon, and conversely came into their full power during the full moon. The blood moon, however, was an anomaly that triggered hollowfication among fae and allowed a hollow to double, or even triple its power.

He bit his lip. He was still unsure as to why this occurred; this was not his area of expertise, but he had tried his damndest to gather the evidence to back his observations without the need to talk to the only damn astronomer in the region…

He rubbed his nape anxiously, noted that once again there was no gentle yet firm touch to stop him, but dropped his limb all the same.

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards, unbidden as a flash of warmth caressed his mind. It had been a long time since he’d felt the comfort of the  _ ræhyrr _ , the bond that linked his soul to another, but with the calm came a renewed sense of dread that weighed down his core. The fact that he could feel anything through the  _ ræhyrr  _ beyond the numb ache that had settled in decades before was more than enough to rationalize that Ich— _ the hollow _ was close.

Heart hammering as adrenaline began circulating through his system, Grimmjow did his best to push away the sensation, eyes sweeping across the horizon, waiting for the inevitable echoing flap of leathery wings that would announce his coming company. His hand slipped into his pocket to worry at the hand carved tile he stowed there.

The sound never came.

“ _ Stargazing? _ ”

Grimmjow stilled, even his breath coming to a halt at that voice. It was a cruel imitation of the one he was so fond of, that cool tenor now warped and garbled. He turned slowly, tried to calm the harsh beat of his heart, until he was staring at the beast standing at the edge of the clearing. He was met by a cold, mismatched stare set in an achingly familiar face, marred by sweeping red lines.

_ Hollow marks _ .

The fact that the monster had gone through the trouble of following the markers through the forest came as a shock. Had the creature not opened its mouth, it would have had the element of surprise.

“ _ Never thought you would be the type… _ My love.”

The endearment was spat bitterly, mocking to the point it was almost painful to hear, and it made the captain snarl. The creature had no right to address him in such a manner and he said as much, spitting in the hollow’s direction as he did.

“ _ I see your manners have only gotten worse, but at least you still have your looks _ ,” the hollow observed, mouth twitching into a sneer. “ _ Tell me, what happened to the polite, fumbling boy I met so long ago? _ ”

“You are not  _ him _ ,” he growled, rising to his feet, eyes pulsating. “Cease this foolish masquerade at once!”

“ _ Or what? You’ll kill me? _ ” The hollow let out a shriek of laughter that grated on Grimmjow’s every nerve. “ _ I don’t know if you’ve realized this,  _ Captain _ , but if you kill me, you kill ‘His Majesty’ as well! _ ” The hollow looked rather sure of this and the haughty smirk pulling at those stolen lips made Grimmjow fight the urge to draw his sword. “ _ ...We’re a package deal. _ ”

“We’ll see about that.”

.

Nelliel leaned against the stone wall of the guest quarters, eyes zeroed in on the still form of the astronomer, of whom had made himself comfortable on the floor, not daring to move far lest he risk angering the lieutenant. Starrk, for his part, remained standing and kept his distance from the both of them, though he was still close enough to step in should the lieutenant decide to strike out at the fae again.

Ichimaru cleared his throat.

“Aizen has known the Captain for the better part of a century, of this we are both aware,” he began, tone rather nonchalant as he gazed rather intently at Nelliel’s left ear. “And even after the boy left his charge, he was sure to keep tabs on him.”

Nell blinked. “...What do you mean? What reason could he possibly—”

“Please save all questions for the end of the lecture, my dear,” he cooed patronizingly, mouth twitching up into a dead eyed smirk. Nelliel clamped her mouth shut, eyes narrowed and temper simmering as he explained, “Aizen has always been a possessive man and, due to your brother’s…. _ gifts _ , he is seen as a rather prized commodity. Imagine, if you will, a child that is gifted a splendid toy. He becomes green when anyone other than him tries to play with it.”

“So my brother is nothing but a nice toy with which he can play?”

The astronomer nodded. “And now he thinks that toy is going to be taken away.”

“And we all know how spoiled children act when they don’t get their way,” Starrk interjected in that low cadence of his, drawing Nelliel’s eye.

“Tears and screams?” she offered with a level of sass that eased some of the residual tension in the room.

Ichimaru sighed. “Violent tantrums and brash action.”

“So his presence here came at a whim?” she scoffed.

Ichimaru answered with a hum, his head tilting ever so slightly in agreement. “He likes to pretend that he is impervious, a level headed and benevolent god, but he is capable of err and other, dare I say  _ human _ conditions.”

“Like jealousy,” Starrk again bit out, hints of a scowl creeping onto his face.

“Quite...”

Nelliel worried at her lip, “And what of the king?”

The fae turned from Starrk to face her fully, eyes open and sincere. It made her shiver with discomfort.

“Well, I’m sure you’re aware that contrary to what the Academy would like to believe, the young heir isn’t dead,” he offered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She scowled. “He might as well be. He’s joined The Fallen now.”

“Not quite.”

She snapped her cold eyes to him, accusing. Her voice was steady and sure, her magic making a brief reappearance in the form of a sudden temperature drop as she spoke, “Explain yourself this instant.”

“Patience, Lieutenant...” he chidded, wagging a disapproving finger at her. “All in good time.”

“Enough of your games, Gin,” Starrk sighed. “She deserves an answer.”

They fell into silence for a moment before Ichimaru broke it again, “Our god major sniffed around Captain Jeagerjaques's office for me.” Nell opened her mouth to berate the officer, but Gin cut her off before she had the chance, “It seems as though your captain has found a way to separate the soul from the body.”

Nelliel was floored. “How? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

Gin hummed. “No one outside of The Academy Council has, it seems. It was a method first developed by Urahara Kisuke before he fell off the face of the earth. We discovered his notes on it in his Academy office, incomplete as they were.”

Starrk stepped forward. “Grimmjow’s research was complete, though. And much of it was vastly different from Urahara’s work.”

"What do you mean?"

It was Ichimaru who answered her, "Urahara explains that his theory could only come to fruition with an intense burst of magical energy, exceeding the level possessed by most fae, if not all of them. His notes imply that he gave up on searching for that power source. Your brother was not so quick to surrender.”

Ichimaru flicked his gaze over to Starrk, the highborne having huffed at the understatement before cutting in, “Jaegerjaques has done the calculations, and very specifically details that his  _ resurrección _ transformation has enough power to complete three of these rituals simultaneously." He paused, glaring at her ear thoughtfully. "Certain aspects of the notes are eerily similar though… The required timing, the ritual components, and some other choice requirements that admittedly don't make much sense to me," Starrk muttered.

It wasn’t often that he openly admitted how ill-informed he was with the more magical aspects of their world, but he knew that she would likely bombard him with questions that he could not answer otherwise.

“You don’t think the parallels are a coincidence.” It was a statement on her part, not a question.

“No,” Starrk confirmed before Gin offered his piece of speculation.

“I believe that the research is entirely his own,” Ichimaru added. “We all know how little he feels that he can rely on the word of others, bar one. However, I believe he was inspired by Urahara’s work. As to how he managed to catch wind of it in the first place, that I do not know...” He frowned. “The problem is that Starrk informed me of this through our correspondence.”

“So, Aizen could very well know about this already?”

The men shared a look. “We think that’s more than likely,” Starrk muttered in a tone that held poorly concealed dread.

Ichimaru growled, something that spoke against his aggravatingly calm demeanor. “Don’t be foolish. He wouldn’t be here otherwise. You know that as well as I.”

Nelliel's mouth twitched as she resisted a sneer. "I suppose the bastard has a plan? Some way to secure his…'claim' on my brother? Else this has all proven to be for not on his end of things."

Gin nodded in acknowledgement. "He came here claiming to be on the hunt for the creature that’s been terrorizing your compound. I’m sure he told you as much. That is not far from the truth."

The woman went stiff, then spluttered some incoherent disbelief before she could organize her thoughts enough to speak, "So, he plans to...what? Hunt down this variant hollow, the  _ king _ , and slaughter it all in the name of  _ jealousy _ ?"

She threw her hands up in exasperation. Not even her brother was so brash and stupid!

Starrk shifted in place. "More or less. It can also be assumed that going through with this plan, ill formed as it may be, could be just what secures Aizen's official leadership of the continent." He shrugged at Nell's aghast look. "He already runs The Academy, albeit with some rather underhanded means. The thought isn't so farfetched."

Ichimaru had the sense to look disgusted by the notion. "And he's insufferable as it is with just his dogs at his beck and call, I can't bear to imagine him with true absolute power."

Nelliel looked on incredulously. "Are you not one of those dogs, astronomer?"

The fae sneered, a viscous expression that spoke of such an immense hatred that she was shaken to her very soul. She had not seen him so emotional since the demise of his  _ ræhyrr _ .

She remembered the woman with fondness as she had treated the highborne with a sisterly care in the almost constant absence of her brother. The astronomer had never been the same after her death, and he never spoke of it, but there had been rumors among the nobility that hinted at foul play.

"Not willingly, I will remind you," he hissed, fangs bared. "His words may be honey on the tongue, but once swallowed it is merely poison. I stopped lapping at his sweet temptations long ago."

"Then why do you stay?" she growled. "He can't take anything else from you, so why?"

The grin that twisted his lips after that was sickening.

** _"So that I can have the tactical advantage."_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, don't forget to comment and kudos if you enjoyed!  
-Chris


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